Jumping for Joy
by xSazzlex
Summary: Skipping for charity sounded great, but how could I raise enough money for such an event when I Cassie Grant at the age of ten years old, was an orphan and my foster parents were nothing more than bullies? Rated K plus it's a GSR story but with Cassie in
1. Chapter 1

**Jumping for Joy**

Authors Note – This maybe a one shot or a story with several chapters to be honest I'm not which as this story is not something I would normally write, actually to be honest I didn't write it my good friend Kayla Louise and our fellow writer did, due to the fact she and the rest of her zoo, and yes I do mean zoo, for all that know Kayla will understand this statement, for those who don't, needless to say if you never went to her house you would be bombarded with kids and animals, have the flu.

Disclaimer – Don't own CSI or any other TV program, I do own a Laptop that has a mind of its own and I think that sums it up? Yea it does!

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Introduction

Skipping for charity sounded great, but how could I raise enough money for such an event when I Cassie Grant at the age of ten years old, was an orphan and my foster parents were nothing more than people even murderers would hate? I Cassie Grant is on a mission to find new loving parents and secondly to raise money for the schools chosen charity.

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It sounded like a fun idea, but straight away I felt the disappointment kick in. I mean, most of the other kids probably had a family who would be interested, but I was pretty sure my fosters parents wouldn't be. So when our teacher Mrs Collins, handed me a "Jump Rope for Heart" entry form, I tried not to look worried.

I didn't care about the colourful skipping ropes or special T-Shirts we were all going to get, because all I could think was what if the other kids bring along their kind loving mum or dad or auntie and I turn up with no-one? It would be another reason for Ewan Patterson to tease me –that and the fact, because I was the only kid in the class with no parents, I'd probably not raise much money or be motivated enough, I admit in school I didn't concentrate, especially PE I hated that lessons more than my foster parents and that's saying something.

"Take the forms home and encourage someone in your family to start training with you" Mrs Collins said in a serious voice "Start with five minutes, then gradually build it up to ten, maybe even fifteen minutes a day. Then bring the Adult with you to the skipping challenge. It's an opportunity for mums and dads to get involved, too"

I stared straight ahead, cheeks red, waiting for Ewan to make his usual sort of comments. Something like, "What about Cassandra's mum? She's not even her real mum!" I held my breath, but Ewan was to busy talking to him mates – thank goodness. So a few seconds went by, then Mrs Collins started explaining something else, and I sighed with relief. Being picked on was something I'd got used to, but still dreaded. Even though, at ten years old, I knew I shouldn't let it bother me – sticks and stones and all that – it bothered me that it bothered me. And the more upset I became the more I hated myself and my foster parents.

"What about you Cassie?" Lesley, my best friend, leaned across. "Want to join a Double Dutch team?"

"Double what?" I hadn't been listening properly to Mrs Collins and was engrossed in reading the form to try to find out what I'd missed.

"Double Dutch!" Lesley smiled.

"What on Earth is that?"

"Long rope skipping, where someone at each end holds two ropes and they turn one rope clockwise and one rope anti-clockwise" She explained, pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose, the same way my Grandad did when he was talking, when he was always alive too "It's fast and tricky for the people jumping"

"Oh yea, I've seen it on telly" I said. I shook my head – no way was I volunteering for that!

"But we could be Enders. We don't have to jump" Lesley persisted.

"Are you crazy?" I looked at her in disbelief. Who, I wondered, would want me on their team?

"I think it'd be fun"

"Well I don't"

We stared at each other, Lesley smiling. Her top – and – bottom metallic braces glinted in the afternoon sunlight as it streamed through the classroom windows. She got teased a bit about them, and her glasses – oh, and her spots, At least I didn't have spots, I was often could a spot to be precise I was called the spot of dirt that wouldn't wash away by my ever so lovely foster mum.

"Come on –lets put your name down" Lesley said, still smiling. But I refused. It was ok for her, her parents would help her train and get major amounts of money, Lesley also wasn't in clothes from charity shops that were either too big or small, Lesley would look better than me without a doubt.

Ewan was guaranteed to laugh at me. I just hoped that I could find someone to help me; I was determined to find my dream parents before the skipping contest two weeks away.

TBC

Authors note two – Ok that's only one chapter, I have decided to cut it down into smaller chapters, when reviewing please be honest as good or bad reviews always help to improve.


	2. Chapter 2

At the end of the day, as we were leaving the classroom, Mrs Collins called me back. She was shuffling a pile of jotters on her desk, acting casual, even though I could tell she was uneasy. Clearing her throat, her eyes met mine.

"Skipping isn't everyone's cup of tea, Cassie"

"Yes, Mrs Collins"

"You don't have to do it if it makes you feel uncomfortable"

"Don't I?"

"No, you don't"

She had that same look on her face that she sometimes had when I had to sit down halfway through athletics, or stop playing basketball because I had overstretched and torn my clothes right down the middle, because they were too small for me, Ewan said nasty things about me ion front of everyone, which was almost every single hour of the day but mostly in PE lesson. He did it even though she always told him off. You see, I don't think he minded about being asked to leave the class and stand in the corridor. In fact I think he liked it. His mates thought it was a right laugh.

"I'm not sure about it" I admitted.

"I know Cassie"

"It sounds like a good idea to get us all exercising and everything" I said quietly. I was having trouble deciding whether to say what was really on my mind "And I do want to help raise money..."

Mrs Collins nodded "Everyone can benefit from their heart pumping a bit faster" she said.

The only way my foster dads heart went faster when he was hitting me in my chest and stomach, you see he was clever that way; he always hit me in places that wouldn't show even with my clothes that were to small for me. Mrs Collins smile made me feel happier. I knew she hoped I'd give it a go.

We agreed that I'd think about it. I suppose she just wanted to let me know it was ok if I decided that the challenge would be to hard, hard meaning no support from my foster parents or any money for that matter. It was nice of her to speak to me about it. Actually, Mrs Collins was always encouraging me to believe in myself, too. She was one of the best teachers in the whole world. I walked towards the door, and then paused.

My foster mum once told me that you shouldn't talk about personal things. Maybe she said that because she knows how much I hated my life with her and her husband right now and how much I would get embarrassed when the kids asked me how it felt to have no family.

"I'm worried that no-one in my house will want to skip. That I'll be the only one without someone skipping with me" I blurted out, there it was out now.

"Oh I see" She said.

But did she? I blushed. Awkward about the truth. I felt like I was betraying my foster parents, although I didn't quite understand why. It shouldn't be an issue, should it? I just wish we could do more together, like swimming or cycling, actually forget that idea my foster parents didn't own a bike or would allow me to get one for that matter.

"Mrs Collins walked across to me and laid her hand gently on my shoulder.

"Cassie, you needn't worry. I need a skipping partner, so why don't we promise to skip together – if you decide to do the challenge?" She gave me a wide smile.

All I could manage was, "Maybe" but inside I felt more hopeful.

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I was right. Nobody wanted to get involved, and they didn't even seem to care that I might need help to find sponsors. The whole dinner table fell silent, so in frustration I blurted out,

"Every two minutes someone has a heart attack"

"Don't say things like that Cassie" My Foster mum said.

"But its true" I ventured, wanting to share what I'd learned at school that day. We could all do with getting a bit healthier and closer, I reckoned.

"What's this skipping challenge in aid of?" Dad said "They're always getting the kids to raise money for something. If it's not one thing, it's another" He added, before I could answer.

"Feeling deflated, I pushed the Fish and Chips around my plate. What was the point? We just weren't the sort of 'Family' that did sports or anything 'Family orientated. Yes my Foster Mum did buy an exercise bike once and she said she would use it, I'm sure if anything came of that, is the bike collecting dust somewhere?

My older 'Brother' my foster parents own son Ken didn't make me feel much better about myself, either.

"You can't skip to save yourself, you can't do anything you're worthless" A chip hit me square in the forehead. He stuck is tongue out at me.

"Hey!" I wailed.

My foster told him to cut it out and eat his dinner without any more fuss, I just stood up from the table, my food forgotten grabbed my coat and walked out the front door and around to the back garden and to the shed, I believed I saw a skipping rope in there one day. Searching for a few moments I eventually came across it – bright pink with glittery, plastic handles that had tinsel stuff coming out the end. A bit babyish but I couldn't care less; I walked back around to the front of the house and started jumping up and down on the spot.

I started to jump slowly at first – once, twice, three times. It was harder than I thought. I stopped. If I was going to do this skipping challenge, I'd have to get a rhythm. Lifting up the rope over my head again, I jumped and counted at the same time. One, two, three...four and five...all the way to ten! Wow I could skip!

"Your very good" A tall Brunette voice called from the right side of me "Carry on"

And I did another ten jumps. Then, out of breath, I stopped and turned to the women to my right and smiled at her.

"Thanks for the encouragement" I said "I haven't seen you around before"

"Oh right, well my name is Sara Grissom and me and my husband have just moved in" Sara said "What's your name?"

"Oh my name is Cassandra Grant, but you can call me Cassie" I reply sighing silently had I found the right women to be my mother?

"Mom, where's my TV?" A young brunette girl enquired from the removal truck parked at the side of the road "Mom?"

"Yasmin I don't know" Sara replied rolling her eyes "Come introduce yourself to the neighbours"

Yasmin wandered away from the truck and briskly over to Sara and me, I stood smiling nervously. Yasmin stuck out her hand and shook it vigorously.

"Hi my name is Yasmin Cloe Grissom" Yasmin said happily "How old are you? What's your name?"

"Hi Yasmin, my name is Cassandra, but please call me Cassie and I'm ten years old" I reply scuffing my already battered shoe on the floor.

"We are the same age" Yasmin squealed before waving and going back to the truck.

"Sorry about Yas, she loves her TV" Sara explains I nod "Want to come over and play with Yas?"

"I would love too, but my foster parents would be against it" I replied slapping my forehead, oh dear I said it again "Never mind"

I walk back over to my skipping rope and pick it up, waving to Sara and Yasmin I walk back up to the front door of the house and back into to reality, the hell hole that I had to call home, hopefully for not much longer, I had a good gut feeling about the Grissom's and I hoped my gut feeling was correct.

TBC

I have noticed this hasn't received any reviews as yet, something wrong? Please review not begging; slightly just want to know what you all think so far, was the introduction of the Grissom's ok, was it poor? Press the button and leave that review, thanks.


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